Best Whiskey Reviews of January 2023

Each month, the team at Abov looks to highlight the best whiskey reviews shared by the community. Best can be subjective, but these are some of the most entertaining, informative, unique, or spot-on whiskey reviews we could find. If you would like to be featured, be sure to keep writing those reviews in the Abov App! Here are the best whiskey reviews of January 2023.

Blanton’s Single Barrel (46.5%)

• Category: Bourbon
• Origin: United States
• Author: @cmchance
• Rating: 71/100
• Review: “Appearance: Honey/Amber. Beautiful beads in glass and has thick, but fast, legs. Smell: I get an immediate scent of orange and vanilla. Almost like a dreamsicle but interrupted with a slight tingle from the astringentness of the alcohol. There is a sweetness at the back end of the aroma. It’s kind of a scent of burnt, white sugar… there’s a hominess to it. Palette: Bitter caramel sweetness. There’s a citrus profile, but not as strong as in the aroma. An oiliness lingers for a while, but by the third swallow after the sip, the mouth feel is gone. There is an oakiness, but it doesn’t overpower the other flavors on the palette. There’s a slight rye spice, but it doesn’t come across harshly, or even noticeable, but it’s there when you intentionally think about it. There is an accompaniment of vanilla that sits and lingers throughout the experience. Finish: The oakiness is what far outlasts all other flavors. There’s very little burn in the throat and chest (not much of a Kentucky hug), but there is a slight sting that lingers on the back of the tongue. Overall: It’s not mind-blowing, or even memorable, but it’s not awful by any regards. I think it’s more the…nostalgia?…scarcity?…novelty?…of having Blanton’s in your own possession that makes the experience. It’s a solid sipper but there’s way more complex sippers for the price. But it’s a solid bourbon, not too complex, but most excellent for sharing with company. Sharing a pour with good friends…I think that’s what this bourbon is all about. And that’s how memories of this are made best, I think.”

Canadian Club

• Category: Blend
• Origin: Canada
• Author: @Snoof
• Rating: 68/100
• Review: “Sometimes, the past should be left right there… I used to drink this a lifetime ago.  However, those whiskies I’ve tried recently that I would take in the past have all been really, really bad, such as Jack Daniels No.7 and Powers Gold Label.  Well… I’ve tried this guy, and it’s so nondescript that I don’t know how to comment in truth.  On the nose, virtually nothing… Light sugar and barley so far. What’s in the taste.  A smidge of barley and sugar and… barley sugar.  Maybe, even straw, not that I’ve ever made a habit of munching on straw…  Really, not much else.  A bit astringent if you hold the ‘flavours’ for a while.  Oh dear…”

Kura the Whisky Rum Finish

• Category: Blended Malt
• Origin: Japan
• Author: @ElvishTim
• Rating: 74/100
• Review: “Nice whisky although not that explicit in nose and taste but the menthol in the finish grows over time. Not a bad whisky but not that expressive. Nose: oak, green herbs maybe some apple. Taste: toasted grains, banana with a little prickling in the end. Finish: prickly maybe a bit smoky (although not that strong as one thinks of Scotisch smoke). A little menthol grows at the end.””

Lagavulin 11 Year Old Offerman Edition Guinness Cask

• Category: Single Malt
• Origin: Scotland
• Author: @SnakeEyes
• Rating: 77/100
• Review: “I love Guinness, I love Lagavulin. I wasn’t a huge fan of this. This was my least favorite of the Offerman’s.”

Lark Christmas Release 2019

• Category: Single Malt
• Origin: Australia
• Author: @rj18158
• Rating: 90/100
• Review: “A beautiful ‘Old Sauternes’, off the colour chart. It’s 100% perfect for Christmas as marketed. I question how these flavours are introduced. It cant be from the wood or wine casks?? Heated brown Sugar, burnt toffee, raisin, quite superb! Warming & rich, white pepper, long, drying finish. It’s just magnificent! Outrageously expensive:”

Maverick Barnburner

• Category: Blend
• Origin: Canada
• Author: @Frostedflake
• Rating: 66/100
• Review: “Short, dry and bitter finish. Not bad but not great. Flavors: Vanilla, Oak”

Monkey Shoulder

• Category: Blended Malt
• Origin: Scotland
• Author: @flicflak
• Rating: 86/100
• Review: “Big malt hit at the start, then grassy citrus flavour. Sweet white wine, slight hint of anise, a little spicy overall but doesn’t overpower. Then nice coffee notes at the end, more complex than I expected!”

Old Grand-Dad 114

• Category: Bourbon
• Origin: United States
• Author: @JimQ41305475
• Rating: 81/100
• Review: “I’m late to this gem. Don’t let the proof keep you away. The baking spices are balanced with candy sweetness.”

Starward Fortis

• Category: Single Malt
• Origin: Australia
• Author: @Jhender4
• Rating: 83/100
• Review: “Nose is great – jammy, tangy, blackberries, raisins, leather, pepper (like a syrah or zinfandel). Palate is the same – jammy, raisins, raisins, giving way to the leather, tobacco and white pepper. The finish reverses that, starting with the dry red wine notes and getting sweeter and fruitier. I dig this.”

Stauning Rye Whisky

• Category: Rye
• Origin: Denmark
• Author: @Engel
• Rating: 79/100
• Review: “First ever Danish whisky and actually a joyful one for its combination of sweet-soured notes and (rye and oak) spiced finish. Certainly worth a try.”